Hornets Players Dealing with Ownership Transfer

With the NBA reportedly set to assume control of the team in the coming days, players and the coaching staff in New Orleans are trying their best to stay focused on the games. The Times-Picayune reports: “Three-time All-Star guard Chris Paul, the face of the Hornets’ franchise, seemed unconcerned Sunday night about the transfer of ownership to the league. ‘I’m trying to figure out how we got beat so bad by the Spurs,’ Paul said after a 109-84 loss. ‘I control what I can control. And that’s how our team plays. I’m just trying to figure out how we can win another game.’ … Hornets Coach Monty Williams said before Sunday night’s game in San Antonio that he’d addressed the situation with the team, and that players asked several questions which he answered as best he could. ‘All I can do is answer the questions I can answer. I don’t know the particulars of it,’ Williams said. ‘To be honest with you, I don’t want to know. I don’t want it to affect my focus and my job. When whatever happens, happens, I’ll deal with it then. Now, I’ve heard speculation since I’ve been in New Orleans. It’s not anything new to me. I can’t go into (specifics of what players asked). That’s personal stuff. I think they’re going to have the same questions anybody else would have, I just don’t want to reveal locker room stuff.’ Several other players indicated they’d heard the news that the league would be assuming ownership of the team, but said their focus remained on what was in front of them. ‘I really don’t know what it means,” veteran guard Willie Green said. ‘I know it’s definitely something that’s going on with the ownership and the league, but as a player I guess I really don’t understand or know what that means right now. Obviously, we’ll find out more information as time progresses, but my thinking right now is I’m just trying to make sure I focus in on the things I can control. And obviously that’s not one of them. But I’m sure we’ll find out how it impacts us as an organization and team later.’”